Enhanced Condensation on Soft Materials through Bulk Lubricant Infusion

Soft substrates enhance droplet nucleation during water vapor condensation because their deformability inherently reduces the energetic threshold for heterogeneous relative to rigid substrates. However, this enhancement is counteracted later in cycle, when substrate viscoelastic dissipation inhibits condensate shedding. Here a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) based organogel designed overcome limitation. It shown that merely 5% bulk lubricant infusion PDMS by nearly 28 times while doubling density. Parameters on are correlated with material properties controlled design, i.e., fraction and composition of uncrosslinked chains shear modulus. demonstrated increase density reduction precoalescence growth rate rather insensitive percentage within broad range investigated. These results indicate presence layer surface cloaks growing droplets. This cloaking effect visualized, it occurs significantly faster if infused lubricant. Overall, enhances leads more than 40% higher dewing substrate.